This Land is My Land...

When we got married and moved to Seattle, I thought we lived in the most beautiful place on earth. I couldn't believe I actually got to live there, not just vacation!! I've felt the same awe for other places we've lived in since then. And now we're back in Utah and I've realized over those five years what a great place Utah is to live! It's beautiful. We've been able to visit some of the national parks over the years and started our summer by making a trip to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. It took me 33 years to get there, but we made it and I realize why people from all over make the trip! It was gorgeous. We made the adventure with a couple of my brothers, their families and even grandma and grandpa made an appearance. Over all great trip and one we'll remember for a long time!!
We started with a bus ride to Lower Emerald Pool Trail. The kids enjoyed hiking to the waterfall and eating lunch at the top.

Then, the older kids went horse-back riding while I kept the younger ones from eating dirt, falling on trails and being eaten by bugs. We were somewhat successful!

This is our backdrop as we sat and ate our ice cream! Pretty incredible!! Notice also the scowl on Micah's face in earlier pictures was erased by either the ice cream or the view, you be the judge!

After everyone was fueled up, we headed for the Temple of Sinawava. This was a gorgeous river trail and I think the favorite part of our day, relaxing by the water throwing rocks. We have thrown rocks into many a body of water and now we can add North Fork Virgin River to the list. Running water is healing!

We'd like to spend more time on this trail next time. It was beautiful!!

I love Micah's socks at the end of the day!!

Bryce Canyon was breath taking!

Aren't these boys handsome?? We headed out on hike down in the "hoodoos" on the Queen's garden trail and ended up coming up on the Navajo Loop Trail.

Ben and Shayla loved drawing nature on this trip!

Love this picture!!

To see the kids kick it into gear on the switch backs - which were not easy! - and get up the mountain was quite awe-inspiring. Those little legs did such a great job on a 3 mile roundtrip hike! I don't think I'll ever forget how tough they were. Cousins rock!

But boy, were we worn out!!

When we tried to hie to Kolob the next day, one car forgot their Zions pass, so we decided to pack it in together. It wasn't as uncomfortable as we thought it would be. Kolob Canyon was also amazing!

Now that you're sick of me in that hat, I'll be done. I love family vacations! It is so fun to be away from the daily cares and worries of everyday life and relish in family time, this beautiful world and all that comes with it.

Rainbow Point, Bryce Canyon

Father Knows Best

I'm writing myself out of a deep depression. Baseball season just ended with a lose in the tournament. Several months ago, clear back in February I believe, we made Jacob sign up for baseball. I say MADE and I mean MADE. He had a great baseball year last year, but had heard horror stories about kid pitch baseball and was not interested. "One more year Jake. Next year you can choose." We'd seen potential in the kid and wanted him to give it one more chance. It's hard to know when to push your kids and when to let them make their own darn decisions!

Well, the season got off to a lousy start. We knew a few of the coaches and were hoping to get onto one of their teams. The coach we got didn't seem too impressed with Jacob and quite frankly we weren't too impressed with him either. We were competing with baseball practices and soccer games on the same nights. The times we could make it to baseball it always rained. Go figure. Needless to say, Jacob was always in the outfield and second to last to bat.

Right about the time soccer ended, baseball games started and Jacob started to perform. We were out of town for a game and got a phone call from Jacob that he had gotten a single, a double and honorary game ball from his coach. Each game, the player they feel deserves it gets a signed game ball from the team. What a great tradition! Jacob started hitting more and more consistently and slowly started playing in field, short-stop, second base and even first base. "Coach, did you mean me? To first?" What fun to see someone else noticing how well my child was doing! And did I mention, Jacob now has 4 honorary game balls gracing his shelf?

For the last few weeks, Jacob has been eating, sleeping and dreaming baseball. He organizes neighborhood games, practices catching fly balls in the living room (I know moms aren't supposed to allow things like that, but I can't help it! I love it!), makes me pitch to him at the park and couldn't sleep last night thinking about the big game tonight. Saturday was a proud moment. He had a great game and the coach talked to us about the possibility of Jacob being on a comp team. I don't know if it will happen, but how great that he even considered Jacob. We went around glowing for the rest of the weekend.

So, they lost. It always has to end some way or another. The team really didn't play their best, but it doesn't make it any easier. Jacob was quite disappointed. We all were. But as soon as we got home, "Wanna play catch, Ben?" I love the confidence and enthusiasm that baseball has given Jacob. I'm so glad he chose to play. I'm so glad that Jacob got on the team he did. I'm glad I don't always get to determine how things work out. Father knows best. He knows what we need and how we can best get it. Great job Jacob! We're so proud of you!!

This Land is Your Land

What a great week! Last Saturday my mom had a Balladier Reunion and Concert. When she went to USU, a group of students formed that Balladiers, a singing and performing group that toured locally and in other states for high schools, civic groups, companies and church groups. They ultimately won an audition for a USO tour to the Far East in 1968. For years we've heard about the Balladiers, learned songs they sung and imagined the fun they had on tour.

This year they organized a reunion and decided to do a concert for family and friends!!
My dear, reluctant mother finally told us about it and we were thrilled to see first hand what my mom had talked about for years. A little bit older and with a tad less choreography, they still sounded great and were hilarious!! The boys did a great job and I'm so glad they had a chance to see and hear this little piece of our heritage. My mom looked beautiful and I LOVED seeing her shine the way she has watched us in all of our events over the years!!

(That's Craig Jessop in the back ground - our one claim to fame!)

At the end of the concert they pulled up the grandkids to sing the last few songs. "This Land is Your Land" was one of them. It must have been so surreal to look out on the audience and think of what had occurred in their lives since college and to be singing these songs with their GRANDKIDS! We loved being a part of it!

His own best friend

Benjamin is by far our most social kid. He manages to make friends instantly where ever we are. There have been many times where he's made new friends at the park. His school teacher says that everyone wants to sit by Ben, and that she even strategically places Ben in spot where he will calm his classmates down. His brothers each get along very well with Ben, but when he is gone there is an obvious absence. He's our glue in the middle.

And yet, Benjamin loves his alone time. I sat and watched him today as his brothers were off doing their own thing. He was completely content. He managed to calmly play the whole time, entertaining himself and actually me too! Give him a stick, some rocks or heck, even just his thumbs and he will be content for quite a while. We'll never know how long though, because before too long, he'll have friends or brothers knocking at the door ready to play!!